Folding chair



arch 8, 19. I c OERMANN 2,110,338

FOLDING CHA'IR I Filed March 19, 195g 2 Shets-Sheet 1- INVENTOR H.Oermann ATTORN EY March 8;, 1938. g OERMANN 2,110,338

FOLDING CHAIR Filed March 19, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEINITLOR Carl H.Oermann ATTORNEY I Patented Mar. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1Claim.

This invention relates to chairs, particularly to folding chairs of thetype commonly used on steamers, beaches, lawns, porches, etc.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved chair of the abovetype which is easily folded into a very compact condition when not inuse or for transportation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved folding chairof the above type which may be provided with rockers.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved folding chairof the above type with which are incorporated means for enabling thechair to be either folded or unfolded with a minimum amount of effort.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved chair of thecharacter mentioned, which is simple in construction, and reliable andexact in function under all conditions of service.

The invention also comprises certain new and useful improvements in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the several parts of whichit is composed, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:--

Figure 1 is a perspective of a chair constructed according ,to myinvention and having rockers attached to the legs;

.Fig. 2 is a perspective of a chair similar to the ,chair shown in Fig.1, constructed without rockers; and

Fig. 3 is avertical longitudinalsection of the chair shownin Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the chair comprises front legs II, positionedparallel to each other andconnected by-a rod I2 near the bottom, saidvI'Odi being; rigidly fixed in any suitable manner to brace the legs asis customary.

A pair of rear legs I4 are pivotally connected, as at I3, at theirforward ends, to the front legs II, at a point intermediate the frontlegs, said front legs extending a suitable distance above the pointwhere the rear legs are connected thereto. When the chair is set up, therear legs I4 extend rearwardly and downwardly at a suitable angle.

Spreading or relative movement of the rear legs I4 with respect to eachother, is prevented by a tie rod I5, which is mounted in the outer endportions of the rear legs, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Pivoted by pins I6 mounted in the upper end of the front legs II, arethe front ends of arm rests IT. The arm rests extend rearwardly, and therear end of said arm rests are pivotally connected by pins I8 touprights I9 constituting the back frame pieces of the chair.

The uprights orback frame pieces II] are connected, at spaced intervalsbelow the pivotpins I8, by'rods 20, 2| and 22. 5

The rod 20is secured to the rear of the back frame pieces I9 and isshaped to fit or conform to the back of a person sitting in the chair,said rod ZIP-constituting aback brace.

The rods 2| and22 may be in the form of 10- rounds, rod 22 being rigidlysecured to the back frame pieces I9 near the lower end thereof, and therod 2| being tightly fixed to the backframe pieces I9 at a pointintermediate the pivots I8 and the rod 22. 15

The lower ends of the uprights or back frame pieces l9 are connected tothe rear legs I I by links 23. One end of each link 23 is pivotallyconnected to upright I9 by a pin 24, and the opposite end of each linkis pivotally connected 0 to the rear leg M by a pin25. The links 23 havea suitable length and the purpose of said links will be hereinafter morefully described.

The seat is formed of side rails 26 connected at their front ends by arod 2?. Therear ends of the side rails 26 are mounted on the rod 2|, sothat the seat frame is pivotally connected at one end to the back frameconstituted by the uprights l9. Pivot pins I3 extend through the frontend portions of the side rails 26 so that said side rails, as well asthe rear legs I4, are pivotally connected to the front legs II at thesame point.

As shown in Fig. 1, spanning the space between the uprights or backframe pieces I9, isa strip of suitable fabric 28, such as canvas, duck,or the like. The fabric 28 provides a back support for an occupant ofthe chair. I

Two pieces of fabric 29 and 30, may be used for the seat, the piece offabric 29 extending 40 from rod 21 at the front of the seat to the rearrod 2 I, and the fabric 30 spanning the space between the side rails 26and underlying the fabric 29, as shown in Fig. 3.

If so desired, the above described chair may be provided with rockers3|, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Each rocker 3| comprises a curved piece of material, pivotally mountedon extensions of the lower tie rod l5 of the rear legs I4. 50

Near their front ends, the rockers 3| are connected by a tie rod 32,each end of which is fixed to the rockers.

The lower ends of the front legs II are formed with notches 33 forengagement with the tie rod 32, and in order to connect the lower endsof the front legs H to the rockers 3| when the chair is set up, Iutilize a pair of hooks 34. These hooks may be formed from a suitablelength of stiff wire, one end of which is provided with an eye 35 forthe reception of a pin 36 which is driven into'the front leg H, as shownin Fig. 3, so as to pivotally mount the hook on said leg.

The parts of the frame of the chair are so arranged and positionedrelatively to each other as to permit the chair to be easily folded. Thefront legs H and the back frame pieces l9 are disposed in substantiallythe same plane. The rockers 3| are disposed outside of the plane of thefront legs II and the back frame pieces I9, and the rear legs l4 insidethereof. The side rails 25 of the seat are disposed inside of the planeoccupied by the rear legs I4.

When it is desired to fold the chair, the hooks 34are first detachedfrom the tie rod 32, thereby permitting the front legs to be movedupwardly and rearwardly to detach the notched portions 33 thereof fromthe tie rod 32. The frame of the chair is moved about the pivot providedby rod I5, and during such movement the rear legs I4 swing upwardly andthe lower ends of the back frame pieces l9 move outwardly from the rearlegs 14. I g

The outward swinging movement of the back frame pieces 19, is limited,due to the fact that the lower ends of said back frame pieces areconnected to the rear legs l4 by the links 23. By so connecting thebackframe pieces l9 and the rear legs 14 together, the distance the ends ofsaid back frame pieces can move or swing outwardly will be limited, and,therefore this construction permits ready and easy shifting of the partsof the chair frame during the folding operation, whereby the back framepieces 19 can be moved towards the rear legs I4 and the front legs IIcan also be swung inwardly towards the rear legs.

When completely folded, the several parts of the frame of the chair arenested together compactly, so that the chair can be easily carried ortransported in a minimum amount of space.

Dueto the provision of the links 23, when the chair is folded, the backframe pieces l9 will be retained in position with respect to the rearlegs l4, since both ends will be joined together.

When it is desired to unfold and set-up the chair, the back is firstpulled upwardly, and during such movement the back swings around thefulcrum provided by the pins 24 of the links 23.

Due to the pivotal connection of the arm rests I'Iwith the backprovidedby pivots [8, the pivotal connection of the seat side rails 26with the back provided by rod 2|, when the back is pulled upwardly andoutwardly, as has been described, the front legs II will also be, moved.The lower ends of the front legs'l I can next be moved over and thenotches 33 inserted on tie rod 32. During such movement of the frontlegs I I, the back frame pieces l9 can be manipulated so as to move therod 22 so that said rod rests upon the rear legs l4. This action alsomoves the links 23 to the position shown in Fig. 3, and the chair willbe completely unfolded and ready for occupancy, after the hooks 34 areapplied to the tie rod 32. The above operation can be readilyaccomplished by an inexperienced person, due to the fact that theseveral parts of the chair frame are so connected together, as to permiteasy movement thereof in the manner heretofore described.

When the rockers 3| are omitted, the cross rod I5 is so made as toterminate with the rear legs l4, and the notches 33 and hooks 34 areomitted from the front legs H. Otherwise the plain or straight chair, issimilar in construction to. the chair having the rockers.

Changes may be made in the details of construction and in thearrangement of the parts above described within certain limits withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what- I claim is: 1

In a chair of the type described, front legs connected near their lowerends by a transverse rod, rear legs pivotally connected to the frontlegs at an intermediate point below the upper ends of said front legs, atransverse bar connecting the outer ends of said rear legs, back framepieces connected by a pair of cross rods disposed, respectively,adjacent the lower end and the midpoint of said back frame pieces, armrests pivotally connected at their front ends to the upper ends of saidfront legs and at their rear ends to said back framepieces at anintermediate point between the upper back frame cross rod and the upperend of said back frame pieces, a seat frame comprising side railsconnected at their front ends to the pivots connecting the rear legsandthe front legs, the rearends of said seat rails being pivotally mountedon the midpoint cross rod of the back frame, means connecting the lowerends of the back frame pieces with said rear legs for permitting limitedmovement'of the back frame with respect to said rear legs, a pair ofrockers pivoted to the transverse bar at the outer end of said rearlegs, and means for detachably connecting the lower ends of the frontlegs with the front portion of said rockers.

, CARL H. OERMANN.

